Shifting Focus

Crime
cannot be viewed as a social problem in isolation from deeper social
and economic issues. Understanding and responding to offending behaviour
is a complex issue. There is no one ‘cause’ and no single solution;
consequently one-dimensional approaches are unlikely to produce results.

Currently,
the Irish criminal justice system is spending increasing and wasteful
amounts of scarce resources with poor results in reducing crime, when
modest investments in under-resourced communities would have greater
positive effects in reducing offending, as well as producing wider
social benefits.

Informed by a shared commitment to combating
social injustice, IPRT, Barnardos and IAYPIC came together in 2010 to
make the case for a shift in resources from criminal justice to social
justice, thereby creating better communities and a safer society for
all.

A report by Candy Murphy, commissioned by IPRT, Barnardos and IAYPIC, outlining the evidence in favour of shifting resources from the criminal justice system to a system which ensures social justice. Read more